St Paul's Cathedral

The protest around St Paul's Cathedral in London has claimed another scalp.  The Dean of the Cathedral has resigned, stating that new leadership is required and taking personal responsibility for the way the cathedral is being portrayed (whether rightly or not).  At the same time the prospect of legal action to remove the camp looms.

The Chapter of St Paul's have my sympathy.  This is clearly an intense situation and they can't win whatever they do. If they allow the camp to stay they will not be able to function as normal, as well as anoy the neighbours.  If they remove them they will be accused of siding with the vested interests of money.  Much of this is confused, not least the thinking of journalists who seem to be rich on criticism and poor on what the cathedral should do.  They have been caught off guard and are dealing with something few feel they have a need to think through in advance.

Threats always have to be real ones - otherwise it is a dangerous bluff game and if that bluff is called the person making it looks silly, or weak.  The closing of the cathedral looked like a bluff that backfired.  The threat of legal action has to fast forward several stages to what happens if the protesters say 'you and whose army' and it is very likely that is precisely what they will say.  If the cathedral are not prepared to enforce legal action - though others may - then they are left with a moral request.  If it is ignored they then have to put in plans to accommodate them while they try to persuade.

The lack of clarity of demands from the protesters makes this an extremely muddled situation.  That said they have caught a popular mood that the economy is not working for the majority of people.  There is outrage at excessive pay and bonuses for a few while most struggle with rising bills and real-terms pay cuts.  So the protest is touching a raw nerve and the church is not being seen to connect with it.  This is a shame because it does and that voice is just lost.

I can only imagine the stress being felt by colleagues in St Paul's.  It is not easy to be the one facing a media storm and protesters on a mission - the matter being much more complicated than they give credit for.  Some of their actions are like bullying - masks and confrontaton do not help.  I continue to hold them in my prayers and that the church will give voice to the concerns being highlighted and not just the tents.